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Agony/ Agony II - Into the woods
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Agony/ Agony II
Stephen Sondheim
Into The Woods
Into the Woods is a musical released in 1987 starring some fairytale characters you know and love. Those being the Prince Charmings, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, Cinderella, and several others.
Into The Woods
Stephen Sondheim
Born in 1930, Sondheim is an American composor who has won 19 awards for his work. He has composed many soundtracks for movies and musicals. kasjdgfklsdjahfk
Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics for Into the Woods, while James Lapine wrote the story.
Stephen Sondheim
Agony
Agony, sung by the two princes under the names Cinderella's prince and Rapunzel's prince for each princess. The princes meet up in the woods and exchange tales of beautiful maidens that they have met and "must have her to wife." This goes against the idea that you should be yourself when it comes to love.
Agony
Agony Reprise
The Reprise to Agony has the same premise of the two prince charmings finding beautiful women that they want. Even though they already have their latest prize they want more. "Ah well, back to my wife."
Message
The meaning behind the songs is the difference between being charming and being sincere with the reprise being humorous in the fact that Cinderella's prince had just sung about her being perfect and Rapunzel's prince had searched around the world for her. Now they are both going after other maidens.
Message
"Moments in the Woods"
In Into the Woods, there's a song by the title Moments in the Woods. In this song Cinderella's Prince meets the Baker's wife while he's searching for Cinderella who he lost in a giant fiasco. The two end up kissing even though they are both married. The prince gets away with this by saying that it's just a "moment in the woods". This implies that the princes do something similar to every woman they meet regardless of social, economic, or marital status.
"Moments in the Woods"
Wishes & Consequences
While Agony has its own meaning, the entire musical revolves around characters getting their wishes. However wishes often come with unintended consequences.
Wishes & Consequences
Literary Devices
Both of the songs share a central theme, rhythm, and various other literary elements. Here's a few:
Literary Devices
Repetition
Throughout both songs both princes complain about how much agony that they're in. While they try to get their prize. Constantly arguing over who is suffering more.
Repetition
Antithesis
Agony is about Cinderella and Rapunzel, while Agony II is about Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. In both the princes sing about how they've found perfection. Which is an antithesis, when you compare their words to actions.
Hyperbole
In the beginning of Agony, Cinderella's Prince stated that they had "agony beyond power of speech" and proceeds to sing about his pain.
Hyperbole
Conflict
Both songs are about the conflict of the princes trying to be as charming and "princely" as possible. To them this means marrying as many princesses as possible.
Conflict
Rhythm & Rhyme
At the start of the arguments the princes make their points in exactly 6 lines and to the same rhythm. This gives it less of a spontaneous feeling and instead feels rehearsed.
Rhythm & Rhyme
Conclusion
Agony and Agony II, are the arguments of two brothers trying to be more "princelike". To them being a prince means being "sensitive, clever, well-mannered, considerate, passionate, charming, as kind as I'm handsome. and heir to a throne". Which applies to the line "I was raised to be charming, not sincere."
This applies to us through the lesson of just being yourself. So don't try to be a prince Charming.
Conclusion
Sources
"Agony lyrics - Into the Woods Cast ." Soundtrack Lyrics, Soundtrack Lyrics,
www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/intothewoods/agony.htm.
"Broadways - Into The Woods - Agony II (Reprise) lyrics." Soundtrack Lyrics, Soundtrack Lyrics, www.stlyrics.com/songs/b/broadways10461/intothewoodsagonyiireprise338267.html.
Literary Devices. Literary-Devices, literary-devices.com.